December 7th, 1962 - June 23rd, 2024
John passed away peacefully in his sleep at home after a protracted illness and stroke. He is survived by his beloved wife Regula (nee Roth), and children Vanessa Vallillee-Sommers (Torrey), Jennifer Jackson (Troy), and Erik Vallillee (Paige). “Grumpy” will be very much missed by grandchildren Alexander, Jonathan, Vivienne, Victor, Vincent, Orval and Gwendolyn. He is also survived by his mother Deanna Krause, sister Ruth McLelland (Tom), step sister Carolyn Sweeney (Aaron) and step-brother Jeffrey Krause as well as aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. He is pre-deceased by his father Charles Vallillee, step-father Dieter Krause, and his father and mother-in-law Reinhart and Ida Roth.
John was born in Ottawa on a foggy morning, and immediately added more fun and adventure to the household. He was always on the move, and frequently escaped to go check out something he found fascinating. He excelled at sports and loved basketball. He was inseparable from a group of close friends who attended the New Apostolic Church. A natural performer, he found his voice in the choir. In the process of going to church, he also found the love of his life, Reggi, who he charmed by insisting on singing only with her. His artistic ability was put to good use in the construction of sets for the Christmas pageant and getting the house staged for Halloween.
In marrying Reggi, John acquired five sisters-in-law (Susan, Gerty, Sandy, Mony, and Barb), a doting mother-in-law in Ida, and a father-in-law in Reini who was very happy to get another son-in-law after being outnumbered by women for a very long time.
Camping trips and the beach were his favourite places to be – he enjoyed many trips with friends and family, and could be counted on to split a cord of wood if there was a chance for a campfire. He was the very best help you could ask for to paint, construct and “get ’er done” on any renovation project, with an eye for precision and a herculean work ethic.
John was an avid reader and student of history, possessing a fierce intelligence, a raucous sense of humour, a profound faith, and a moral compass that was absolute. This sometimes meant he was not easy to live with, but you always knew where you stood. At the end of the day, his love was also absolute, as was our love for him.
John is now free of pain and illness, and has been taken home to God. We will meet again, and until then, keep those campfires burning.
The funeral service will be held at the New Apostolic Church in Fergus (792 Wellington Rd 18. Fergus, ON N1M 3A8) at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 29th 2024 with a lunch and visitation after the funeral service. Cremation has already taken place. Donations in memory of John can be directed to the New Apostolic Church or to the PPCLI Foundation to provide support for Veterans.
Donations:
https://www.naccanada.org/IMIS_PROD/NAC/GIVE/NAC/Give/Give_Home.aspx?hkey=0b1dca3c-b9ff-4093-a3d6-fc4b7fce3f9b
https://ppclifoundation.ca/donate-now/
Arrangements entrusted to Graham A Giddy Funeral Home
